It all started with one exhausted post

On Reddit, a young teaching assistant spoke up with a message that struck thousands of people: "I work, come home, wash the dishes, sink into the couch, stare at the wall, and it's already time for bed. Is this... it?"

In just a few hours, under her post, hundreds of users from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia shared their strategies and frustrations about how to survive a job that, as one user said, "slowly turns off the light in your eyes".

From the comments, we picked out the best advice, a combination of psychological help, folk wisdom, and witty lines the kind your coworker might say.

1. Set boundaries. Your boss is not your roommate.

Everyone agreed on one thing: the worst job is the one that enters your life even after working hours. If you reply to messages late at night because "just let me finish this one more thing," you're not being responsible, you're on the road to burnout.

One user wrote: "Treat the company like it's on mute. Because it would put you on mute too the moment you become dysfunctional."

The advice is clear: don't answer calls outside working hours. Don't go to optional events on weekends. Don't stay longer at work because "you don't have anything better to do anyway." You do – your health.

2. A break is not a luxury, but a right and rest for the soul

Many wrote about breaks as the most underrated part of the workday. The length isn't important, what matters is that it's truly yours.

One commenter suggests: "Use your half-hour break for a walk around the building or looking into the distance. Just not at a screen."

Don't use your break to finish one more task. Use it to rest. It sounds simple, but it really helps.

3. Sleep. A blood test can say more than the HR department

After many comments about constant fatigue, some users discovered they weren't just exhausted, but also anemic.

One female user wrote: "I thought my job was killing my soul, but actually my iron was 2.2."

Stress and a bad rhythm don't help, but if you've been feeling bad for months, get checked out. A job shouldn't require a transfusion.

4. If you don't have time for a hobby, you urgently need one

One of the most common pieces of advice was: find something that makes you happy and has nothing to do with work. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's not email, Zoom, or Excel.

One user suggests: "Buy a plant, knit, play guitar, play table tennis. Just so your life doesn't stop when you get home."

The most important thing is that you don't have to be good at it. What matters is that you have something besides work and obligations. That recharges your mood and your batteries.

5. Changing jobs is not defeat, but a normal step

Many admitted they stayed for years in a job that drained them because they were afraid of change. But those who took the risk rarely regretted it.

One user wrote: "I worked more than ever, but I felt like a human being. New company, new dynamics, different person."

If you don't feel better even after vacation, there's no chance of a raise, or your health is getting worse, maybe it's not you, but the job. You can change jobs many times, nerves you can't.

Conclusion: You're suffering because you still have energy. Use it.

Some comments were brutally honest, like:

"When I stop caring, it will stop hurting. Until then, I'm trying."

A job doesn't have to be your calling, but it shouldn't be a punishment. If every day is a struggle, the internet has a clear message: set boundaries, take a break, get some sleep, reflect, and if needed, walk away.

And most importantly: your boss will survive if you don't reply to a message at 18:04. You might not.